Govt provides K1M per dead person for bereaved families

 Plan is underway to assist cash for damaged homes through the National Disaster Management Fund.

Vice-Senior General Soe Win unveiled that the government manages issuance of proper cash assistance, loans without interest and soft-interest loans for livelihoods while allocating the some amount from the National Disaster Management Fund.

Chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win said so at the ceremony to mark the International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction 2024 at the Myanmar International Convention Centre-I in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning.

In his speech, the Vice-Senior General said that the management committee initiates creation of the hazard map and the risk map through endeavours of experienced experts. Moreover, it will be combined with the post-flood and land slide needs assessment based on overflow of Myittha River in Kalay in 2015.

During three cash donation at the State level, he recounted that well-wishers at home and abroad in individuals and in groups donated more than K52 billion for rescue, relief, emegency response and rehabilitation measures.

The Vice-Senior General highlighted that bereaved families have obtained K1 million per dead person in natural disasters through the National Disaster Management Fund and region and state funds, and the National Disaster Management Fund will be allocated cash assistance for damaged homes.

Moreover, he added that the government manages issuance proper cash assistance, loans without interest and soft-interest loans for livelihoods while allocating the some amount from the National Disaster Management Fund.

He retold that the recent flood affected nine regions and states where about one million people from more than 80,000 families suffered impacts of floods. Of them, 520 people were dead and missing in the disasters in addition of death of more than 180,000 animals and damage of more than 700,000 acres of paddy and other crops across the nation, he added.

The Vice-Senior General continued that the Head of State inspected repairs of roads and bridges to turn the transport service into normalcy as quickly as possible.

He spotted that Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction Head of United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Mr Karmal Kishore called for teaching lessons of natural disasters to students from the school-age children to those from the higher education.

He noted that more than 10 million trees were lost yearly from 2010 to 2020, according to the statement of the UN World Food Programme. It shows that growing number of global population, expansion of vocational businesses, high temperature, climate change and deforestation trigger severely natural disasters year by year.

The Vice-Senior General emphasized that UNICEF mentioned that one billion children worldwide are facing high possibility of disaster risks and some 27 million children suffer impacts of flood-related disasters.

He pointed out that it is necessary to initiate preparedness against natural disasters in accord with the Sendai framework (2025-2030) in order to mitigate disaster risks nationally and regionally.

He urged all to thoroughly understand the important role of new generation youths and the people in mitigating and responding to the natural disaster risks.

Vice-Chair-2 of the management committee Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Soe Win reported on natural disaster management measures.

A message of the UNSG read by Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) for Disaster Risk Reduction Head of UNDRR Mr Karmal Kishore and a documentary video on disaster risk reduction movement were screened.

The Vice-Senior General presented medals, certificates and cash awards to winners in the open article contest to mark the 2024 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.

SAC member General Mya Tun Oo, Vice-Chairmen of the management committee Union Ministers Lt-Gen Yar Pyae and Dr Soe Win also awarded the winners in the university-level painting and basic education-level essay contests.

The Vice-Senior General then visited the booths of documentary photos to mark the 2024 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The ceremony was also attended by Union ministers, senior Tatmadaw officers, deputy ministers, chairmen of organizations, departmental heads and officials from UN agencies and NGOs and INGOs. — MNA/ TTA